


Candlelight

by BlueshirtBirdie



Series: 30 Day Femslash Challenge - Pepper/Victoria [5]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: 30 Day Femslash Challenge, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-13
Updated: 2014-05-13
Packaged: 2018-01-24 14:05:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1607843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueshirtBirdie/pseuds/BlueshirtBirdie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pepper isn't exactly friends with fire.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Candlelight

Pepper had made herself go home from work for early once, and she was trying to surprise Victoria with a nice, candlelit dinner. Nearly everything was prepared, but when Pepper lifted the lighter to the candle on the dinner table, she felt herself freeze up when the flame emerged. The orange glow made her mind flash back to being at Killian’s mercy, and she was in that basement again, strapped to a table.

“Pepper?”

Victoria’s voice jolted her out of the flashback, and she dropped the lighter, the flame disappearing once her hand loosened its grip. The lighter clattered to a stop on the table, and Pepper looked up, her eyes still wide with terror. She tried to bring herself out of her head, wanting to act like she was fine, but she knew Victoria had seen her.

“Sorry, I — I got lost in thought.” Pepper knew that was a terrible excuse, and Victoria would see right through it. She felt Victoria’s hand on her shoulder and looked up, trying to catch her breath. Victoria’s brow furrowed, and she ran her hand along Pepper’s arm briefly.

“That looked like a flashback to me, Pep.” Victoria’s voice was gentle, but a little sad, and she began to guide Pepper to the couch to sit down. Pepper felt a surge of guilt; she had wanted this to be a nice evening, but instead, Victoria had to deal with this. Victoria knew about what had happened with Killian, but Pepper didn’t like to talk about it, much less show how much it still bothered her.

“I’m all right, I promise I am. I didn’t think lighting a candle would trigger anything like that.” Pepper looked down, embarrassed. “I was going to surprise you with a nice dinner.”

Victoria gave her shoulder a squeeze, and then eased her arm around Pepper’s back. “We can still have that nice dinner, we don’t need candlelight. It’s all right.” She sniffed the air. “Whatever you cooked sounds good, though. Once you feel up to it, we can go eat?”

“Okay.” Pepper nodded. “I’m sorry you had to see me like that.”

“Don’t worry about it. It happens to the best of us.” Victoria leaned close and pressed a gentle kiss to Pepper’s cheek, and she felt herself relax a little. She was so used to hiding everything she was dealing with to properly run the company that all of this felt strange. Victoria was being so kind to her, too. She let herself slip close to Victoria, resting her head on her chest until her breathing became even again.

“Let’s eat,” she said finally, taking Victoria’s hand and helping her up. Victoria’s expression was soft as she looked at Pepper, and Pepper looked to the side, blushing a little.

“We can still have romantic lighting, you know.” Victoria leaned to the side and turned down the lights to about halfway, giving the illusion of candlelight. She took the lighter and put it away, out of sight, and Pepper breathed a little easier. Victoria looked even lovelier in this sort of lighting, and Pepper caught herself staring.

Victoria laughed. “I get that I’m hot, but the food won’t be if we keep standing here.” She gave Pepper a playful nudge toward the kitchen counter, and Pepper found herself smiling a little.

“All right, all right. But for the record, you’re the good kind of hot. Not anything to do with candles.”

“Damn right.”


End file.
